Clutch



W. W. CAMERON.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATIUN FILED FEB.5-.1919.

1,430,722, Patented 0st. 3, 1922..

Patented Unt. 3, 1922.

einen srarss N1,430,722 PATENr arriba.

WILLIAM WALLACE CAMERON, OFv LA WLISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB, `TO LA GROSSE PLOW COMPANY, F LA GROSSE, 'WISCONSIIB Y CLUTCH.

Application filed February, 1919.` Serial No. 275,169.`

To all whom t may conce/m:

Be Ait known that l, wWILLIAM WALLACE CAMnRoN, a citizen of the United States of America, whose residence is 1003 Rose Street, in the city ot' La Crosse, county ot T. La Crosse, State or l/Jlsconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful improvements in Clutches, ot which the following is a true specification, reference being had `to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof.

The invention has reference to clutches. The object of the invention is to produce a clutch that has improved means for en* gaging and disengaging the members thereof, and that may be very compactly built,

"cross sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4C is a side view of a detail,

\ on a smaller scale, of a part `for operating and controlling the shifting mechanism that throws the clutch members into and out ot gear; Fig. 5 is an inner sidel view in elevation of the driving clutch member; Fig. 6 is an inner side view in elevation of the driven clutch member; Fig. 7 is an end View of the shifter enclosed between the members for putting the members into and out of gear, looking toward the driving member;`

* Fig. 7A is a sectional elevation of the shifter;

"with respect to the hub.l

Fig. 8 is a View of the parts shown in Fig. 3 when they have rotated far enough to be locked by the roller. f

In the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a shaft upon which a portion of the clutch parts are placed, mounted in a wheel 11 having an extended hub portion 11b. The member 11b rotates to communicate'movement to the clutch members. Opposed keys or bosses 11a are formed on the portion 11b of the wheel. Slidingly mounted on the hub portion 11b is a clutch member 12,- having opposed longitudinal recesses 12e-12'EL for the reception of the keys 11a-1111, the lit between the` keys and key-ways being loose to permit of lateral sliding of the member 12 lbrindicates an l annular groove formed in the inner face of the web `of the member 12, radially spaced withinkthe` ,diametrical extremity of the member 5` 12c is a ringsecured to the inner race of the `member Aadjacent the shaft 10i` `and projecting diametrically somewhat beyond the inner wall of the groove 12b, and secured to 'the membery 12wby` screws` 12d. Formed on the inner walloi the member beyond the annular `groove 12b is an an-` nular series of clutch teeth, 12e, projecting inwardly toward the teeth of the driven y member.

Rotatively mounted on the sha-ft 10 is a driven clutchmember, 13 having a hub yportion 13k on the `outer face of itsweb, by which it is mounted on the shaft and aange 13, on its periphery that extends laterally `as a protecting casing over the clutch teeth.

Formed on the outer end or' the hub13k is an annular series of clutch teeth 13b kept constantly in mesh with thev teeth 17b of a member 17 also mounted on the shaft 10, the member 17 having circumferential teeth 17 a suitable for driving purposes. The member `17 is operatively a portion of the member 13; but these members are made in sep arate pieces to permit of the placing in position 0i" another member 15 which is rotatively mounted on the hub 13k, the orice in ythe member 15 being smaller than the outer diameter of the member 17.

The member 17 may be used to rotate the shaft 10, in which case itshouldbe secured to the shaft 10;` butit' it be `desired to drive only by means of theteeth 17a it may be loose on the Shaft. f

Piercingthe web of the member 13 are opposed holes, 13c `having one of its ywalls bevelled to form cams 13d-131, the cams eX- tending'from side to side of the web and being curved concentrically with the axis of the member, as shown in Fig. 6. Formed on the inner surface of the member radially beyond the openings 13c is an annular series of clutch teeth 13e, adapted to mesh with the teeth 12e. Extending diametrically beyond the lange 13aare opposed pairs of prongs 13g-13h, the prongs 13g being longer than the prongs 13, and'having between themzthe` openings 13f and having out-er tangential slopes13i-13; the prongs are transversely aligned with the web of the member 13.

`Rotatively seated withinl the annular groove 12b is a disc `14: having-a concentric 110 annular opening 14h, partiallyclosed by the inwardly projecting flange 145, this flange tting beneat-h the over reaching portion of y.the ring 12, whereby the disc may be rotatively and longitudinally secured to the what greater than that of the web of the member 13. Extending from each of the lugs 14C and :reaching through and beyond the web of the member 13 are posts 14a.

Adjacent the outer face o' the web of the member 13 and having holes 15C aligned with the holes 13c is a' plate 15 having in its adjacent tace depressions f adapted to receive the outer ends of the lugs 1a, one of its walls bein bevelled to form a 'cam surface 15l coinci "ing with the cam 1.11, as shown in 2. By vmeans of the holes 15C the member 15 is placed upon the posts 14a, so that the inner tace ot the member 15 and the outerV face of the member 13 adjoin, asshown in Fig. V2.y Surrounding the posts 14a within housing 15e on the member 15 which is a support 'for the springs, `are coiled springs 16, kept under tension thereon by the wash-v ers and pins 16 and 16", as snowniin Figs. land 2theftens1on being greatest when the clutch members are disengaged, and lighter when they are engaged, it requiring less force to hold them engagea than to' force theminto engagement.

The member 15 has diametrically opposed arms 15, having radial cam faces 15b, as

.shown in Fig. 4, the outer ends ofthe arms being slightly upturned somewhat lin hook torni 15g.

Hung `trom a bar 20, which mav be anyv convenient part ot a structure on which the clutch is used, in an opening 20a, is a link 13 having a hook portion. 181 in said openingl with its lower end provided with a roller, 19; extending between the link, at13C and Athe support 2O at 20h, is a spring. 21, having sutlicient tension to hold theroller against the periphery ot .the member 13 when the members are engaged, kas shown in F 3, and to force the roller into the opening 13f, as shown in Fig. 8, when the members are disengaged, at which time the torre of the movement has shifted the member 15-1otatively so that the arm 15a is substantially aligned with the prong 13g so as not to prevent the passage of the roller into the open- Secured to the link 18 at any com ing 13f. vement place is a cord 22, which is extended to any suitable place to be within reach of andthe cam 14d is in engagement with .the cam 13L-15d, the ends of the. lugs 14 then being seated in the depressions 1.5i, the springs 16 being eX- panded to their least tension, having drawn the posts 1/1V and the disc 14 outwardly. 1n this position the members 12-13-14-15 rotate as a unit, the member 13 driving the member 17 by means of the teeth 13b-17h. The parts will lcontinue to rotate as a unit until they have made nearly a quarter 'fun ther turn, bywhich time the arm 15:L will come into contact with the roller 19 'and arrest the progress ot the whole. member. 15; and inasmuch .as the posts 14a protrude through the holes 15C, the posts and the disc 141, with its cams 14d will also be arrested, and as the cams 14e-d arethen standing still andthe cams 13d are still in movement, the effect wil-l be to torce the cams 141d and the ring .14 backwardly, against the: :torce of the springs 16, until the clutch teeth 130 and 12C are disengaged. From the position ot the llugs 14C as shown in Fig. 1 it will be seen thatwhen the teeth are disengaged the cam surfaces 13d and 14d are still in engagement, because ot the greater thickness of the lugs than the web of the'meinber 13. The continued rotation of the arms 13g and 13h after the arm 15a has been arrested by the roller has the effect of clearing the opening13f so that the force of the spring 21 will easily cause the roller 19 'to enter the opening and beseated between the prongs 13.g and 13h on that side oi the member 13 that has then reached the roller, eiiectually preventing any further rotation of the parts, and with the clutch teeth out or' mesh and the springs 16 under their greatest tension, as shown in Fig; 1. f l Y It, when the members are disengaged, as shown in Fig. 1, itis desired to put `the clutch members into mesh, the operatorpulls forwardly on the cord 22, whichV will remove the roller from the opening 13f, whereupon the force of the tensioned springs 16 will be treeto pull the member 1d outwardly again, thereby pulling the driving member 12 outwardly until the clutch teeth 12C and 13c are again engaged, whereupon, because the lugs 14C with their cammed portions are within the openings 13E-13c and the' posts 14Cn are within the ,openings in the plate 15, the members 1d, 13 and 15will be caused to rotate with the member 12 until the opposite arin15a has made a comes into Contact with the roller 19, to again arrest the .movement ot the parts 1st-45, which will again permit the member 13 to operate the cams 13d against the cams 14d, and again cause the disc 14 to crowd the driving member 1.2 backwardly until the clutchteeth are disengaged, and the roller 19 is in the opposite opening 13f and it is locked against movement.

n-win benoted that when the iuteh memhalic y rei/*elution and4 bers are engaged, as shown in Fig. 2, the disc 14 is stationary with respect to `the member' 12 and rotates with it; but when the members are disengaged and the member 111 is locked in rotatively stationary position, the member 12 rotates about the disc that is within the groove 12b. The members 13-1t-15 make a half revolution in the process of being driven by the member 12, but the process of engaging and disengaging the clutch teeth is very quick. lt will be observed that when the arm 15a rests against the roller, the member 14e is locked against further movement, and that the cams of the member 13 operate against the cams of the member 14 until the clutch teeth are separated, and that when the roller has entered the opening 13f the members 13- 14l 15 are all locked against further movement until the roller is released from its locking place by the pulling of thei cord 22. in Fig. 1 the roller is represented as being in the position the parts assume when the arm 15TL and the member 18 have gone one quarter further around than is shown in Fig. 3, the prong 13h being shown in dotted lines, and arm 15n and prong 13g not being visible in this figure,

Having now described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a clutch, the combination of a driving and a driven member, and an element enclosed between the two members and aliixed to the interior wall of one and longitudinally engaging the interior wall of the other and mechanism for shifting the element to engage and disengage the members, said mechanism being connected to the element and having circumferential movement to shift the same, and located adjacent the exterior wall of one of the members.

2. In a clutch, the combination of a drive ing and a driven member having webs, one of which has an opening with a cam formed on an edge thereof, an element enclosed between the webs and longitudinally alixedto one of them and having a cam coacting with the cam of the opposite member, a portion of the element projecting outwardly 4beyond the web of the member having the cam, and means secured to the projection for laterally shifting the element to engage and disengage the members.

In a clutch, the combination of a driving and a driven member having webs one of which has an opening therethrough and a cam formed on one edge of the opening, a shifting element enclosed between the webs in fixed longitudinal relation with one of them and having a cam adapted to coact with the cam in the opening, a portion ofthe element extending outwardly beyond the eai'nmed web, mechanism secured to the projecting `portion for laterally shifting the sameto engage and disengage the members, and a lock for the mechanism adapted to hold the members in their adjusted relations.

t. In a clutch, the combination of a driving member having a portion towards its circumference adapted to engage a driven member and an annular groove formed in its web radially within the engaging portion, a driven member having a portion towards its circumference adapted to operatively engage the driving member and having an opening through its web radially .fithin the engaging portion with one of its edges crammed, a disc rot-atively seated within the groove and having a cam adapted to coact with the cam in the opening and a portion thereof projecting beyond the web, means for securing the disc within the groove, mechanism adjoining the cammed web secured to the projecting portion of the disc for laterally shifting the cams to engage and disengage the members, and a lock for the mechanism adapted to hold the cams in adjusted relations to secure the members in engaged and disengaged relations, the disc and the mechanism revolving with the driven member when the members are engaged, and remaining stationary with li driven member when the members ar disengaged.

5. In a clutch, the combination of a laterally shiftable driving member, a laterally fixed driven member having an opening through its web, and means for shifting the driving` member into engagement with the driven member comprising an element secured between the webs of the members longitudinally afiiXed tothe driving member and having circumferential movement with respect to the same and having a post eX- 'tending through the opening, a spring support-ing member, and a spring connection between the support and the post.

6. In a clutch, the combination of a laterally shif'table driving member and a laterally ned driven member having an opening through its web, means for shifting the driving member into engagement with the driven member comprising an element secured between the webs of the members longitudinally red to the driving member and having a post extending through the opening, a. rotatable spring support adjoining the post and a spring connect-ion between the post and the support, and means for locking the support to hold the members out of engagement.

WlLLIAM WALLACE CAMERON. 

